A 'LOVABLE' football fan has died after colliding with a car as he walked home from celebrating England's victory against Equador.

Christopher Edmonds, aged 26, was found with severe head and chest injuries on Windermere Road on Sunday night after being in collision with a vehicle that failed to stop at the scene.

He was taken to North Manchester General Hospital but died a short time later.

Christopher's sister, Lindsay Reid, said: "We've been left devastated. We just can't believe it. It's all so raw at the moment. All we know is that he went into the centre of Middleton on Sunday to watch the football and met his other sister, Sara, at about 7.30. He then went on somewhere else, but we don't know where.

"He was a funny, lovable man with a lot of friends and he enjoyed socialising.

"He was a big football fan and enjoyed going out with his mates. He had been enjoying the World Cup and loved Manchester United."

The small community on Fern Close, Moorclose, where Christopher lived with his girlfriend Jenny, was in shock over the death of the lively young lad.

One neighbour said: "It's awful. People keep pretty much to themselves round here but it is horrible news for anyone. I hope his family are all right."

A close friend of the family said everyone was devastated by the news.

She said: "He was a really nice young lad. It is just shocking for everyone because of his age."

Christopher, who worked in a mattress factory, leaves behind four sisters, Hannah, Lauren, Sara and Lindsay and two brothers, Anthony and Michael.

Police from Rochdale's Road Policing Unit are now appealing to anyone who saw Christopher after 7.30pm on Sunday.

PC Greg Entwhistle said: "We're keen to trace Christopher's movements on Sunday evening. He was last seen by his sister in Middleton town centre at about 7.30pm and this incident happened considerably later on in the evening.

"We're keen to speak to anybody who may have seen Christopher between Middleton town centre and where the incident happened. He was wearing a blue polo shirt, black pants and brown boots. He's average height with short, cropped dark hair.

"Nobody can really explain why he would have been on the Langley estate. Maybe he was visiting somebody or he'd been to one of the pubs and was making his way home."

Anyone who thinks they saw Christopher after 7.30pm should contact the Road Policing Unit in Rochdale on 0161 856 8473 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

A 21-year-old man from Middleton has been arrested on suspicion of being involved in a fatal fail to stop road traffic collision after he walked into a police station on Monday.

TRAGEDY No 2: Wayne Redfearn

A DEVASTATED family has paid an emotional visit to the place where a young father was killed.

Wayne Redfearn, 26, lost his fight for life last Thursday after suffering massive head injuries in an alleged gang attack in Kirkham, near Blackpool, in the early hours of Sunday 18 June.

His family, who kept a bedside vigil at the father of one's bedside in Royal Preston Hospital, travelled to the scene of the tragedy on Tuesday.

Hundreds of floral tributes, England flags and messages of condolence have been lovingly placed on the pavement and walls on Poulton Street in Kirkham since the incident.

His mother, Eileen Redfearn, who lives on Charlestown Road in Blackley, said: "Anyone who goes to Kirkham and sees the flowers will know how much he was loved."

The family were too upset to comment further.

Two men have been charged in connection with the incident, but murder squad detectives have said there are more potential suspects still at large and appealed for those involved to come forward.

Det Supt Paul Buschini, who is leading the investigation, said: "This is now a murder inquiry. The police investigation is far from over and there are still a large number of people to be traced in connection with this incident.

"We are especially looking for people to come forward who were involved in the brawl outside The Swan public house shortly before the incident which led to Mr Redfearn's death.

"Those people know who they are, as do others, and we want them to come forward to assist with our investigation."

Mr Redfearn, who has a 22 month old son called Jensen with his partner, had been staying at the Ribby Hall Village complex with his brother Paul, 24 for the weekend.

They went into Kirkham drinking and ended up in The Swan, on Poulton Street, where it is believed a disturbance broke out shortly after midnight.

At around 12.40am, police said a mass brawl, involving around 40 men, spilt out on to the street with violent clashes on the pavement and in the road.

Mr Redfearn and his brother were seen being chased away from the brawl by a gang of men who caught up with the pair by the Lloyds TSB bank.

It is alleged that a number of men then set upon the victim, kicking and punching his head and body.

Mr Redfearn - who also has an older brother, Mark and younger sister, Gemma - was taken to Blackpool Victoria Hospital but was transferred to the special neurological unit in Preston, where his family stayed at his bedside until he passed away.

Det Supt Buschini added: "Our thoughts are with Mr Redfearn's family, who stayed with him throughout and are understandably distraught."

Anyone with information is urged to contact the special inquiry room set up at Bonny Street Police Station on (01253) 293933 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.

Shaun Worden, 21, of Swarbrick Street, and Ben Marshall, 22, of Poulton Street, both Kirkham, appeared in court last week charged with malicious wounding.

They were both remanded in custody.

TRAGEDY No 3: Chris Heywood

A GRIEVING mother has spoken of her beloved son who was killed in a tragic car crash only hours after leaving home to start a new life.

Maggie MacDonald waved goodbye to her 20-year-old son, Chris Heywood as he left his Blackley home to begin a job in Cornwall.

But tragedy struck only four hours after Chris arrived at his destination.

Last week more than 200 mourners gathered to pay their respects to the young man and his memory only days after he was killed in the tragic accident.

It was a sunny Sunday afternoon during which Chris had enjoyed a barbecue with his friends after his journey to Cornwall.

Soon after he, along with his 23-year-old cousin Benjamin Allan Wartnaby and friend Paul Steven Rostrom, aged 19, were travelling in a Vauxhall Astra along a dual carriageway when it suddenly catapulted off the road, smashing into a stone wall and bursting into flames.

Despite heroic attempts by passers-by to save their lives, all three men were pronounced dead after being taken to a nearby hospital.

Chris's mum Maggie said the family was devastated at their loss especially her daughter Carla, who was Chris's twin sister.

Maggie said: "The family are as low as can be and Carla is taking it really bad because she is Chris's twin.

"They did everything together when they were little. She is devastated."

Chris was an outgoing lad who was well-liked by all who met him.

He attended Parrswood High School and had recently worked in a pallet yard in Eccles.

But he had grown bored of his life in Manchester and longed for something different.

Maggie said: "Chris loved his family to bits and everyone that knew him liked him.

"But he went down there to start a new life.

"He got a job in a factory and was looking forward to watching the World Cup in Cornwall."

Chris had seven brothers and three sisters who were all very close and the whole family met for their brother's funeral last week.

Maggie said: "There were hundreds of people there but I didn't notice at the time. When you're grieving, you can't see anything."

The funeral was held at St Mary's Church in Prestwich on Thursday 15 June and he was later cremated at Blackley crematoriam.